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On impulse, I pull my phone out of my purse and aim it out Hannah’s window, then I snap a picture and send it to Javi.
Since I’m still standing at the window and there’s not much space over here, Hannah is right on top of me when she turns around. Her gaze hits my phone almost without thinking about it, then she looks at me.
“He texted me earlier and I haven’t answered,” I explain. Then, because I don’t want her to ask questions and I just noticed it in the picture, I look back out the window with a frown. “Isn’t that Arden’s house?”
Hannah follows my gaze to the palatial white mansion in the distance, towering over its nearest neighbors. “Yep.” She points down the beach at another lavish mansion perched on a hilltop overlooking the ocean. “And that’s where Dare lived before he went off to college.”
“I guess your prison tower has a perfect view of all the royals,” I say sourly.
Smiling mischievously, she says, “Lucky me, right? Come on, let’s go downstairs. Did you have breakfast?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I say, walking down the stairs first so she can turn off the lights and grab her things.
We’re in the hall about to head downstairs when Anae stops us. “You two. Come with me.”
Hannah frowns slightly and looks over at me.
I roll my eyes and shrug, but then we follow her because… well, it’s just easier that way.
Anae walks through the open double doors into her massive bedroom, and indignation fills me all over again. This bedroom is about the size of Hannah’s old bedroom, and it’s so unjust that Anae is living in a bigger room inHannah’s housewhile Hannah is stashed in the attic like a traumatized child in a V.C. Andrews novel.
“This is such bullshit.”
Hannah shoots me a warning look at my muttering, but Anae hasn’t even noticed. She opens the doors to her private terrace and walks out, expecting us to follow.
Her balcony overlooks the property and has a nice view of the pool. There’s patio furniture and an umbrella for when she and her friends want to come enjoy the view, but the umbrella is closed and secured right now.
A couch, a loveseat, and two separate chairs await us. Anae stops in front of the chairs, then points at them, indicating she wants one of us in each of them.
“What’s this about, Anae? We need to get to school,” Hannah says.
“Sit,” she demands.
I sigh, dropping onto the cushioned seat and crossing my arms over my chest.
Hannah sighs, too, then takes a seat on the other chair.
Anae’s eyes are cool as she looks us over one at a time. Then, apparently having seen too many movies, she begins to pace back and forth on the balcony. “You know, I think I’ve been really nice to you girls so far this year. Carter came in with her ‘let’s start fresh!’ bullshit, and I think I did my part in accommodating that.”
It takes me several seconds to realize she was talking about me. Unlocking my jaw, I say, “My name isParker.”
“Whatever. Your name has never mattered less to me than it does now.”
“I don’t know why you’re mad at me,” I state, not bothering to add that I also don’t care.
“Don’t you?” she asks, narrowing her eyes.
I shake my head, eyebrows rising with impatience. “Nope, and you have about ten seconds to tell me before I say fuck this and leave.”
Her narrowed gaze drifts to Hannah, the scrutiny intensifying. “Then maybe it was you.Cinderella,” she says with a feigned pout. “The poor, mistreated little orphan girl. Did you decide to fight back for once in your pathetic life? I bet you felt so brave setting out to spite me.”
Hannah swallows, probably more accustomed to Anae’s drama and ridicule than I am. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Anae.”
“Someonetold Dare I was watching his social media accounts, and you two bitches are the only ones who knew.”
Whatever I expected this to be about,thatwasn’t even on the list of possibilities.
“What makes you think anyone told him?” I ask, scowling.
